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This report is created by Ken Ducote and Rose Drill-Peterson on behalf of the Eastbank Collaborative of Charter Schools
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On March 13, 2014, the Orleans Parish School Board held a Special Board Business Meeting on the Superintendent Search, followed by its regular monthly Committee Meetings. All meetings were held in Room 4050 of the OPSB Timbers III Office Building at 3520 General DeGaulle Drive.
OPSBrief has summarized the events during these meetings below. Links to background information are also provided.
The next Board Business Meeting will be held on Tuesday, March 18th, at 5:00 p.m. in the Auditorium of McDonogh 35 HS, 1331 Kerlerec Street. The Policy Committee Meeting has been rescheduled for 4:30 p.m. just prior to Tuesday's Business Meeting.
***This email is created by Ken Ducote and Rose Drill-Peterson on behalf of the Eastbank Collaborative of Charter Schools and is not an official correspondence from the Orleans Parish School Board***
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| REPORT FROM MARCH 13 OPSB SPECIAL MEETING |
- Superintendent Search Update from HYA, consultants
- New calendar of activities can be read here
- There were 80 applications received, of which 60 were complete
- Consultants talked to over 100 persons about possibility to apply
- Consultants narrowed selection to 15 potential semi-finalists
- Consultants were prepared to recommend four semi-finalists
- Superintendent search candidate interview workshop with consultants from HYA
- Discussed procedures to conduct interviews for effectiveness as well as EEOC compliance
- Discussed how to pose questions for effectiveness
- Not only will Board evaluate candidates - candidates also assess Board
- Discussed need for punctuality, graciousness and hospitality
- Consider having finalist(s) address a community forum
- Executive Session to discuss character, professional competence, and/or health of candidates for Superintendent
- Open session to name a slate of candidates for Board interviews per HYA recommendations
- Approved inviting slate of semi-finalists for interview as recommended by HYA
- Thomas Darden, Special Assistant to CEO of Aspira Inc., a Philadelphia charter group
- Edmond Heatley, Education Commissioner, Bermuda
- D'Juan Hernandez, local businessman
- Kyle Wedberg, CEO of NOCCA
- Board members requested that HYA continue to seek other potential semi-finalists
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| REPORT FROM MARCH 14 OPSB COMMITTEE MEETINGS |
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Received and discussed information from Administration and took action as indicated
- Legislative Session update
- Filing deadline has not passed
- Many education bills filed
- Carve-out legislation not submitted by OPSB but filed in Senate - will be monitored
- Administration evaluating bills as filed but do not yet have recommendations for Board to take positions
- Board setting up a committee to weekly review bills
- Cooperative Endeavor Agreement with RSD on citywide needs, facilities and shared funds
- Forwarded on a 4-1 vote to full Board with recommendation for approval
- Administration reported wide support for the CEA among OPSB principals
- Statements in support were offered by RSD Superintendent Patrick Dobard and representatives from Louisiana Association of Public Charter Schools, Cowen Institute, N. O. Business Council, Crescent City Schools, KIPP, Algiers Charter Schools Association, and N.O. College Prep
- One citizen spoke against the agreement because it did not transfer all RSD schools back to OPSB
- City-wide programs
- Demographic changes
- Common enrollment
- Early childhood
- At-risk students
- Students with disabilities
- Establishes Exceptional Needs Fund, including $ 5 million from OPSB's General Fund balance
- Court-involved students
- Student Hearing Office
- Non-public schools
- Other city-wide needs
- Facilities
- Building swaps
- OPSB will receive new Bradley ES for Bethune ES
- Old McDonogh 35 HS can be used by RSD as swing space after new McDonogh 35 opens
- Pledge to meet and continually cooperate
- Land Purchases
- OPSB to buy new Behrman ES site
- OPSB will seek to expand B. T. Washington HS site
- Surplus/Landbanked Property
- Will work together to transfer to OPSB
- Tax Credits
- Will work together on tax credits
- Finances
- Joint accounts - common accounting system
- Quicker availability of common funds
- QSCB and Insurance proceeds
- Cooperative working together to benefit both OPSB and RSD schools
Discussed items submitted by Administration with no action taken
- Program / Construction Management Services Contract - extension of current contract
- Extends Jacobs/CSRS contract until end of March 2014 for $ 222,000
- Program / Construction Management Services Contract - new contract via RFP
- Six proposals were received and evaluated by Administration via review committee
- Administration recommends new contract with Jacobs/CSRS
- Four top-ranked firms were invited to appear at Committee Meeting - each made short presentation and answered Board members' questions
- Jacobs/CSRS
- PSA Constructors
- Vanir-Heery
- BKI-C&S
- Board members invited the four firms to supplement their proposals by Monday with responses to strengths and weaknesses identified by review committee
- McDonogh 7 (Audubon Extension) repairs update
- Received information from staff, project managers, and school principal on status of repairs
- Property purchase
- Administration recommending OPSB acquire 10-acre site at Opelousas and Atlantic
- For new Behrman ES
- Subject to resolution of restrictive covenants on title.
- Capital Projects update
- Received status report from Administration and project managers
- New modular classroom price competition reduced cost of Lusher - Fortier project by approximately $ 500,000
Due to an emergency being handled by key staff, this meeting was rescheduled for 1/2-hour prior to next Board Business meeting.
- Policy A127 - Charter School Evaluation
- Policy A128 - Charter School Renewal
Received recommendations from Administration and forwarded to full Board with recommendations for approval unless noted otherwise
- Franklin ES - additional donation for recycling program from Phillips 66
- Amendment to Third Party Contract for federal funds to eligible non-public schools - Title II
- Catapult Learning, LLC - $ 2,264,774
- Non-public Educational Services - $ 56,541
- Deferred Revenue distribution
- Funds will be distributed by end of March pending OPSB approval on Tuesday
- Extension of current Project Management Contract
- Jacobs/CSRS through March 2014 - $ 222,000
- New Program/Construction Management Contract RFP results - Jacobs/CSRS
- Forwarded to full Board without a recommendation pending receipt of additional information
- E-Rate services - 3-year contracts
- ATT&T - metro area network - $ 66,134
- AT&T - primary rate digital and analog dial tone - $ 51,546
- AT&T - internet access - $ 114,048
- AT&T - long distance - $ 900
- AT&T Mobility - cellular - $ 123,744
- Blackboard - $ 94,000
- Achieve 3000 - $ 233,828
- SmartNet - $ 138,855
- Elite - $ 26,000
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Property purchase
- OPSB to acquire 10-acre site at Opelousas and Atlantic
- For new Behrman ES
- Subject to resolution of restrictive covenants on title.
- Lock Replacement Projects for five schools
- By public bid - Hamp's Construction - $ 112,266
- Franklin ES (2 sites), Bethune ES, McDonogh 35 HS, McMain HS
- January 2014 Financial Statements
- Deferred due to illness of staff member presenting
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This service is made possible by support from the Louisiana Association of Public Charter Schools and funding from the
Robert Reily Family Trust and the Smith/Cooper Foundation
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